Paper Carnations
by Subtlynice
Summary: One year on, Edward has a surprise planned for Bella. Post-Breaking Dawn Edward/Bella fluff.
1. Purchase

**Paper Carnations**

_One year on, Edward has a surprise planned for Bella..._

Standard disclaimer applies. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Chapter One: Purchase**

"Y'know, Ness, if you wanted me shirtless, you only had to ask," Jacob spluttered, while Edward and I roared with laughter.

Nessie simply smiled up at him. At eleven months old, she was still as beautiful as she had been when she was born – only now she looked more like a sweet little five-year old, with intelligence far beyond her years. Still, it hadn't stopped her from making the same clumsy mistakes her mother had made as a human. She'd been trying her hand at painting, having seen some of Alice's sketches and wanting to follow in her aunt's footsteps. Somehow, Jake had been completely covered in green paint while the piece of paper on the floor remained crisp white and unblemished.

Nessie stared up at him apologetically, then lifted her hands to his face to convey her thoughts directly. Nessie still didn't speak often; she preferred to use this form of communication. Jake settled down to listen eagerly to Nessie's thoughts while I cuddled up on Edward's lap, content with watching the two of them.

Alice suddenly whirled into the room. Her wide smile, directed at me was enough to put me instantly on edge.

"What is it, Alice?" I asked nervously.

If it was possible, her grin widened. Jasper had come up behind her and was now leaning against the doorframe, smiling slightly at his wife's enthusiasm and the waves of dread he could no doubt feel emanating from me.

"We're going shopping, Bella!" she squealed. Edward chuckled as my eyes widened in horror and I crawled back into his embrace.

"Edward," I moaned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

His golden eyes sparkled with mirth. "And miss seeing you respond to Alice in such an entertaining fashion?" he teased. I groaned.

"Please don't say the word 'fashion' while she's in the room, Edward," I stage-whispered. "You'll give her ideas."

"Oi!" Alice said, marching up and pulling me out of Edward's grasp. "We'll have no insulting snide remarks from you, Bella. You don't even know what we're shopping for yet."

I took a deep, unnecessary breath to calm myself, then asked, "And what exactly are we shopping for, Alice?"

The scheming pixie grinned. "Well, among other things, I thought you might like to be a charming, dutiful wife and buy a gift for your husband."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "And what exactly would these 'other things' be?"

"Well, if you're honest with yourself, you really do need some more clothes – "

I groaned, cutting off the rest of her sentence. A shopping excursion with Alice usually ended up giving the expression "shop 'til you drop" a whole new and literal meaning. Adding vampiric strength to the mix just worsened the experience – I'd learnt that after my first post-change mall trip. Seeing as I was plenty strong enough to carry the bags now, Alice saw no reason for me not to buy dozens of outfits from twenty or so different designer shops.

"Please, Bella?"

I glared. "I think you have an ulterior motive," I hedged. "What are you planning, Alice?"

Alice's beaming face was innocent – _too_ innocent. "I'm planning a fun, girly shopping trip! Come on, Bella, _please_. Your closet really needs some updating, what with you and Edward not taking nearly enough care as you should do with clothes…" she trailed off and grinned at my abashed expression. If I could have blushed, I would have. Instead, I yanked my arm out of Alice's grip and glided toward the one person who could possibly get me out of this.

"Edward," I protested. "You don't want me to go with Alice, do you? You don't care whether my clothes are in fashion or not."

Edward grinned, then placed his hands on either side of my waist and tugged me closer to him. He bent his face down to mine and kissed me chastely on the lips. Then, brushing my hair gently behind my ear, he turned his head to whisper so quietly that even I only just heard his reply.

"_I couldn't care less what you wear,_" he murmured, huskily. "_In fact… I rather prefer it when you're not wearing anything at all._"

Was it possible for vampires to go into hyperventilation? I certainly seemed to be trying.

"But," he continued, "I've seen the outfits Alice is planning to buy, and I must admit… I'm intrigued as to how they would look on you."

And with that last teasing comment still ringing in my ears, he gave me one more frustratingly chaste kiss and pulled away, an angelic smile plastered to his face. It took me a while to get my limbs to respond, but when they did, I stepped back toward Edward hopefully.

"_Please,_" I begged. Pleading usually worked wonders with Edward. "Please can't I just stay here while she goes by herself and buys what she wants for me? I don't even care what it is; I'll wear it, I promise, however ridiculous it is."

Alice scowled. "I am standing right here, you know," she reminded me.

Edward shook his head. "Not a chance."

I turned to Jacob: my last hope.

"Jake, are you sure you don't need me here? Weren't we planning on taking Nessie out for a hunt later?" I asked, tilting my head towards Alice with an expression that clearly said _'Go along with whatever I say, please!'_

At hearing his name, Jake looked up from where he had been sitting gazing at my daughter, confusion marring his face.

"I thought Nessie hunted with Edward yesterday."

Ugh. The traitor. Couldn't he have just feigned enthusiasm, for my sake?

"I hate you," I told him, bluntly.

Jacob frowned, then looked up at Edward for clarification. He'd obviously been so wrapped up in whatever Nessie was showing him, he'd missed the whole conversation. Edward chuckled. "She's trying to get out of a trip to the mall with Alice."

Jake grinned. "Oops. Sorry Bells," he said, shrugging and settling back down.

Alice's laughter tinkled around us as she pulled on my arm and yanked me towards the door. I gave up with my struggle, and let myself be lead to the garage.

"I'll have her home by midnight, Edward!" she called behind us, still laughing.

I sighed. It was going to be a long day.

**...**

"Okay, Alice," I groaned, seven hours, thirty-five shops and too-many-outfits-to-count later. "That's enough. I'm sure I've got an outfit for every possible occasion and shoes to match here. Now can we just _go home_?"

"Not a chance," she grinned. "Oh come on, Bella, liven up. This was supposed to be a fun day out for you, remember?"

"Easy for you to say," I grumbled. "You actually enjoy torturing me like this."

"Besides," she crowed, pretending not to have heard my whinging, "you still need to buy something for Edward."

I wrinkled my nose, confused. "If we're buying stuff for Edward, why wasn't he allowed to come with us?"

Alice gave me a look of deep vexation which told me I was missing something very obvious.

"What?" I asked, annoyed.

She shook her head, now grinning. "Never mind. Just trust me on this one: buy something for Edward. Something very, very nice."

I shook my head with confusion and despair. "One more shop, then can we go home?" I pleaded.

Alice eyed me sceptically.

"Fine," she said. "But if the shop you choose doesn't have the perfect gift for Edward, I get to pick out at least one more pair of shoes for you."

I looked up and down the high street in frustration… the perfect gift… where would it be?

And then I saw the shop behind Alice.

"Deal," I said, smugly, walking past Alice and into the shop behind her. Alice looked up at the name of the shop before following me moodily.

"That is so unfair! You knew that was there!"

**...**

Just one hour later, we were sat in Alice's yellow Porsche, making our way back home. I comforted myself with the knowledge that it would all be over soon and we were driving towards my freedom. Alice comforted herself from her extreme disappointment of not forcing another pair of shoes on me, by singing at the top of her voice with the radio blaring out some classic song from her earlier days as a vampire. Apparently Alice shared similar taste in music to Edward. She sounded like an angel when she sang.

Music blaring, Alice pulled into the garage and I sighed with relief. _Finally_. Alice giggled at my obvious enthusiasm to make it inside. I opened my door and bounded out as soon as we had stopped. I was almost at the door when I realised Alice had not left her car. The engine was still running, the music still blaring, and she was still sat behind the steering wheel with apparently no intentions to make her way inside.

"Alice?" I asked uncertainly. "What are you waiting for?" With Alice's blaring music I had to shout to make myself heard by her. Even my own newly heightened senses could not pick up the sound of my voice – it was drowned out by the din coming from Alice's car.

Alice must have made out my words from the way my lips moved, because she giggled, then called back.

"I think I'll just… go for a drive," she mouthed.

"Alice, what – " I began, but Alice was already pulling out of the garage and making her way back down the Cullen's long drive. That was when I heard it.

My lullaby.

Maybe Alice had turned her music up on purpose, with the intent on leaving this a surprise. Because now, without the distraction of a very small, very loud vampire, several things became clear to me.

Edward was inside, playing my gentle lullaby, welcoming me home.

Everything else was very still, very quiet. No one else was here. We were alone.

There wasn't even the fluttering heartbeat of our daughter. Nor the unnecessary breaths of our family.

Just us.

* * *

Next Chapter: Celebration


	2. Celebration

**Chapter Two: Celebration**

I dumped my shopping bags where I stood in the garage and made my way slowly through the house, savouring each note before I reached my husband. When I came to the piano by the front door, Edward was playing with a smile on his lips – he'd heard my cautious entrance.

Two years and I still felt breathless when I saw him. Hours apart made me miserable; incomplete. But to be reunited with him, to be able to see every inch of his glorious face with my new eyes after a separation of any length of time… there was nothing better.

He sat back straight, fingers lightly tracing the keys of the piano. I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around his chest as he continued to play. I heard him sigh and saw his eyes flutter closed with the same relief that I felt at our reunion, but no words were said between us. No words were needed.

We stayed in that position for one endless moment, until his long fingers struck the last, quivering notes. Then he reached around and pulled me gently into his lap. He leaned in until our noses were touching and our breaths mingled comfortingly.

"Welcome home," he breathed.

"That was beautiful," I replied. "Perfect."

"Thank you," he kissed my lips gently. "But it was inspired by someone far more beautiful than the notes could ever begin to compare to."

I kissed his nose, then laughed quietly.

"Where are the others?" I whispered.

"Gone."

"Where?"

"I told them I wanted a bit of privacy tonight," he said in a soft, low voice. "They understood. They've all gone hunting. I expect Alice will have joined them by now."

I shivered, though his touch no longer felt cool to me. On the contrary, his arms around me ignited fires across my skin.

"And Nessie?"

Edward laughed. "I made Jacob's day. Told him Nessie could spend the weekend down at La Push. She's very excited."

I frowned.

"Don't you think people are going to notice her and wonder who she is?" I asked. We'd been very careful so far with who saw her. Edward and I were supposedly still at Dartmouth and Nessie was Edward's "niece" to anyone not in the know. But I had been a familiar face in La Push… if the wrong person made the connection…

"Don't worry," he said gently. "She'll be fine. How could anyone explain it to themselves anyway, even if they did suspect something? She looks five. We've only known each other for two and a half years."

He gently kissed my fears away. He was always so gentle with me, even though he no longer needed to be. Maybe it was just a habit; long ingrained into his thoughts and actions.

Our lips parted as he kissed a trail down to my neck, and I used the unnecessary breather to ask another question.

"Why did you ask for privacy here?" I mused. "We have the cottage all to ourselves."

"Well," he began, talking between kisses. "For starters, there is a bed upstairs that has been deemed 'unnecessary' and I thought we could… make use of it."

I laughed somewhat shakily at his words, vaguely remembering a perfect human night in that very bed. Forgetting all about my previous confusion and bewilderment, I pulled his lips back to mine, and he responded with an eagerness that would surely have crushed me had I still been human. Now that I was stronger though, he still felt too far away. I tightened my grip around him, using both his strength and mine to mould us together, pressing against each other until there was no space between us. We both groaned at the contact and our kisses grew fiercer; our movements more animalistic.

I had no idea _how_ we managed to make it upstairs, but we did. Excitement at the prospect of having the house to ourselves dwindled as I focused more on having _him_ to _myself_.

We barely made it to the bed – we even barely made it to the bedroom. We moved as one, our bodies connecting with a passion I could not have even dreamt of as a human. I felt him everywhere; above me, deep within me, and the world around us ceased to exist. We could have been anywhere. The cottage, Isle Esme, our meadow… it was unimportant. The only thing that continued to hold any meaning for me was the simple truth that we were together; connected in the most intimate way possible and he wanted me just as much as I _needed_ him.

"Well," I breathed afterwards. "I take back every bad word I ever said about this bed. It's certainly been very… necessary tonight."

He chuckled.

"That _would_ have been difficult on a couch."

"Difficult, but not impossible," I teased, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively. He just laughed and mussed my hair affectionately. He bent down to kiss me reverently, just below my collarbone.

"By the way," he murmured. "Happy anniversary."

I froze.

"What?"

He grinned into my skin. "It's been exactly one year since our marriage."

It took me a while for those words to sink in.

"Oh."

"You forgot," he teased.

"No, I didn't forget, I just… lost track of time," I lied feebly. "Has it really been a year?"

He kissed my collarbone tenderly. "It has," he said quietly. "This time last year, our relationship was consummated and our daughter was conceived."

"Oh," I said again.

Hearing my deadened tone, he looked up from my chest to meet my eyes. "Are you okay?"

It took me a while to respond.

"Yes," I said quietly. "I just… I can't believe I forgot. It seems like it was only yesterday." I chuckled as I remembered Alice's earlier behaviour – the look she had given me when I had wondered aloud why she wanted me to buy Edward a gift. "Alice knows."

"Pardon?"

"Alice knows I forgot. Why didn't either of you tell me?"

He grinned, then resumed his earlier activity of showering me in kisses. "You're so cute when you're oblivious."

Sighing, I surrendered myself to his ministrations, happily floating into a blissful daze, when moments –or maybe hours –later, something else occurred to me. I yanked his head back up and glared at him.

"What?" he asked, bemused.

"You planned this," I accused. "You told Alice to take me shopping, didn't you? It was all a ploy to keep me away from the cottage so you could plan some stupid, over-the-top elaborate celebration. Am I right?"

He chuckled. "You are correct."

"Ugh," I groaned in mock horror. "Why couldn't Alice have given me freedom when she had the chance?"

He laughed at that. "Alice was under strict instructions to get you away from me and out of the house," he replied. "Even Jacob was in on it."

My jaw dropped. "So he was being slow and unhelpful _on purpose_?" I practically screeched. "When I get my hands on him – "

I would have continued my rant, but Edward's lips on my skin made it suddenly very hard to speak or think coherently.

"By the time you see him again, the weekend will be over and you'll be thanking him for agreeing to help me arrange the perfect way to attempt to show you what you mean to me." He said, before attacking my lips with his; easing away my scathing reply.

I groaned. "Do I even want to know what you've got planned for me?"

"Hmm," he purred, trailing kisses along my neck sensually. "Actually, I'd rather you waited to find out for yourself."

I couldn't think of a comeback when his breath and his lips moved across my skin like that. Surrendering once more, I gave in to his kiss, trying very hard not to think about what he could have planned for me today…

* * *

Next Chapter: Gift


	3. Gift

**Chapter Three: Gift**

"What's the time?" Edward gasped, a while later.

"Who cares?" I mumbled, slightly put off by his ability to think and speak as articulately as always, during my ministrations.

He chuckled and pulled me off his chest, sitting me back down on the bed. I frowned and stuck out my bottom lip stubbornly. I must have looked like a pouting child, because he grinned and took my lip between his teeth, easing away my frustration by dragging his lips across mine. By the time he pulled away again, I'd forgotten why I had been annoyed with him in the first place.

"I have some plans for us today, and I want to make sure we're in the right place at the right time," he explained mysteriously, and I immediately tensed.

"What plans?" I asked cautiously.

He cocked his head to the side, examining my expression. I knew instantly that he was wondering what I was thinking, and I lifted my hands to his face. I paused just moments before my fingertips brushed his skin, asking an unspoken question. He nodded eagerly and I pressed my fingers to his face.

He saw it all: my dreadful time spent being dragged from shop to shop with Alice, my horror at forgetting such an important occasion, my frustration with his stupid surprise which was bound to leave me so much better off than him…

I lowered my hands and my shield sprang up once more. Then I sighed.

"Please?" I asked. "Can't we just… forget this surprise and spend our anniversary here?"

Edward chuckled.

"As tempting as that offer is, I've put a great deal of thought and effort into our activities for today."

"You could redirect that thought and effort elsewhere… in _my_ plans for today," I offered.

"We have plenty of time for _that_, some other time in our eternity together," he reminded me, sternly, but still teasing.

I sighed moodily as he pulled on a pair of jeans and examined the clock thoughtfully.

"Half an hour…" he muttered.

"What's in half an hour?" I asked, my ears perking up for any hints as to what he might be waiting for.

"That's for you to find out when it happens," he replied smoothly. "In the meantime… I believe you brought me a gift yesterday."

I groaned in horror.

"It was a _wedding anniversary gift_ that Alice wanted me to buy?" I gasped in realisation. "Why didn't she tell me? I could have brought something so much better!"

Edward smiled and sat back down on the bed, looking at me expectantly.

I sighed and reluctantly got up. I pulled on my clothes and made my way hurriedly down the stairs to the shopping bags lying abandoned in the garage. If I was going to do this, I might as well get it over and done with as quickly as possible.

I was back up the stairs and into Edward's room in less than a second. He was stretched out across the bed now, looking every bit as kissable as he had earlier. I resisted the urge to fling his present out the window and have my way with him again.

"It's in there," I muttered, instantly shy. I threw the bag over to him and he grinned at my obvious embarrassment.

"Love, are you okay?" he asked. "I don't have to have a present. You know I don't care that you forgot. I could tell that you hadn't remembered anyway."

I scowled. "You could have reminded me."

He shrugged. "It's more fun to spring surprises on you."

"Don't I know it," I muttered. "That's your favourite game: let's mess with Bella's head."

He laughed quietly, then sat up and wrapped his arms around me. He placed a warm kiss on my temples and sighed.

"Your head is far too important to me to allow anyone to mess with it, Bella," he cooed. "I just like surprising you, that's all."

Damn. How did he always manage to get the upper hand and turn me into a pile of mush with just one chaste kiss and a few sweet words?

"Okay," I breathed, hardly aware of what I was saying.

He smiled, then twisted us around so I was sitting in his lap. Reaching over us, he pulled his gift out of the shopping bag.

"It's stupid," I said quickly. "By the time I brought it, it was really late… the shops were all shutting, I didn't know it was important… do you like it?"

He laughed and drew me closer to him.

"It's… beautiful," he murmured.

"Stupid," I corrected him under my breath.

"No," he protested adamantly. "I love it. It's perfect."

I beamed up at him. My embarrassment started to fade as I realised he really did like his gift. He wasn't just trying to placate me.

He ran his long fingers across the spine and traced the leather cover absently. He smiled to himself as he took in the cover detail: a single red apple on a dark, intricately patterned background. I wondered what it meant for him; if the image held any meaning. He certainly seemed to find some dark humour in it.

"Alice told me we could go home as soon as I found you the perfect gift," I explained. "But if I couldn't find anything, she was allowed to drag me into another shoe shop. You should have seen Alice's face when she saw that she was standing right outside the music store." I grinned. "I think it'll take at least a century for her to get over the disappointment of not forcing me into another pair of heels."

Edward said nothing, he simply smiled and continued to gaze at the cover. My embarrassment took over once more.

"I thought… because Nessie's been playing like a pro lately… you might like to share some of your own compositions with her," I stammered. "And if you scored them in here, she could learn to read the notes in no time."

"It's a wonderful idea," he said quietly. "My gift pales in comparison."

I snorted. "As if you haven't made a huge, complicated set-up leading towards the most expensive, unnecessary, perfect gift in all creation."

"Your gift is far better," he said, although I noticed he didn't deny the set-up. "Last year you gave me a daughter; this year you give me something to share with her. Will I ever deserve anything you give me? Is there anything left for you to give?"

I cupped his chin in my palm and looked him straight in the eyes.

"There will never be enough for me to give you," I said truthfully. "You've given me your love for all of eternity. That means more to me than any gift could ever possibly match up to."

Edward smiled and kissed me slowly, sensually.

"As I have, so have you," he reminded me. "My glorious wife, mine for eternity."

"Yours for eternity," I promised.

He looked down at his gift once again, tracing the cover and opening it to reveal the blank pages of music sheets. He smiled very slightly when he saw what I had written in my neatest possible writing on the first page:

_Con amore, dalla tua cantante_

"_With love from your singer_," he translated, absently. "Why Italian?"

I snorted. I should have guessed that he'd be able to translate it. Was there a language he _hadn't_ learnt?

"It's where I first heard the phrase," I replied. "For some reason, it stuck with me. I don't know, it seemed appropriate at the time."

He laughed for some reason.

"Yes," he murmured so quietly that as a human I would not have been able to hear it. "Very appropriate."

"Italian?" I asked, bewildered. "Why is that appropriate?"

"No, not the words, the gift," he explained, brushing his fingers across the paper pages absent-mindedly. He grinned. "Very… fitting."

I wrinkled up my forehead, instantly confused. "In what way is it _fitting_?"

"You'll see," he replied cryptically.

My forehead wrinkled up even more. He sighed and kissed each wrinkle away. I vaguely thought to myself that those lips of his really did have the power to solve just about any problem known to mankind, but my musings were interrupted by a sudden thumping noise coming from outside, getting closer and closer to the house.

Edward pulled away from me to examine his watch.

"Right on cue," he muttered approvingly. "Good work, Jake."

"Jake?" I asked. I listened more carefully and realized that the noise was the thumping of Jacob's heart. And there was another sound; a quieter, quicker thumping, drumming away like a hummingbird's wings…

"Renesmee?" I asked, confused. "You said she would be away all weekend!"

He shrugged. "I wanted this to be a surprise."

"I don't know how many more surprises I can take from you," I muttered, but I led the way out of the door, eager to see my daughter.

* * *

Next Chapter: Note


	4. Note

**Chapter Four: Note**

I didn't make it very far with my attempt to appear disgruntled by Edward's efforts to mislead me. By the time I made it out the bedroom door, I was racing down the stairs and landing gracefully in the entrance, eager to see my daughter. She couldn't be far from the house now, the sound was close…

Wait. The sound. When had it stopped? Everything was utterly silent now.

"Nessie?" I called. "Jake?"

Silence.

"Quit messing around, Jake," I yelled. "Come back!"

There was no reply. It was as if I had imagined the noise; as if they hadn't even been here in the first place. Or as if Jake had scampered away using all the speed his wolfy form could muster up, as soon as he heard me coming.

"Jake?" I called again. "I'm warning you! I'm faster than you and I _will_ catch you and win whatever stupid game you're playing! I know you're just trying to mess with my head, and it's _not_ working!"

I listened harder, but I couldn't hear anything. Not even the footfall of my friend as he sprinted away from the house.

Nothing.

"Ness?" I called, knowing it was useless. "What that you? Are you there?"

The silence answered me: no, she wasn't there. She was long gone. I couldn't even pick up her scent. They couldn't have come very near to the house.

"Edward, what – " I began, turning around to demand an explanation from my husband, but I stopped suddenly as I came to another realisation.

Edward wasn't there. I doubted he'd even come down the stairs behind me, like I'd assumed he would.

"Edward?" I called.

He didn't answer.

A horrible sense of foreboding washed through me as I realised that this was probably all part of his evil shower-Bella-with-gifts-and-surprises plan. So far, I wasn't enjoying this one bit.

I walked slowly back up the stairs, mentally preparing myself for something terrible – a diamond or a car or an island or something equally ridiculous.

I paused at his door – now closed, although I was certain I had left it wide open when, just moments before, I had run down the stairs in my eagerness to see my daughter. I took a deep breath and opened it slowly, as if there were a dangerous explosive on the other side.

But there was no explosion.

There was no big, elaborate gift either. Realising this, I released the breath I had held in and I opened the door wider to explore the empty room.

No explosives, no gifts and definitely no husband. His scent told me he'd left a few moments ago, out the window. I could have followed him instantly, but something about the room made me stop in my tracks. Something was different.

The massive gold and black bed had been made – fresh sheets smoothed out and pressed; pillows plumped, looking a million miles away from how it had been moments before, with the sheets strewn out messily around us.

But that was not what caught my attention.

On the sheets there lay an intricately made origami flower and a note. I walked slowly over to the bed and picked up the flower, examining the impressive skill with which it must have been made.

Then I turned my attention to the note which had been left with it. Picking it up, I saw the words on the note, written in familiar, sweeping handwriting:

.

_A fitting gift, needing no explanation,_

_I give you my love and a paper carnation._

_.  
_

I stood in silence for a while, mulling over his words. Then the tidal wave of frustration broke out.

"Edward!" I yelled. "What the _heck_ is going on?"

* * *

Next Chapter: Clues


	5. Clues

**Chapter Five: Clues**

"Edward, come back! Don't put me through this! You know I hate surprises!"

The only answer was the rustling of the paper in my hand; mocking me with its riddle.

.

_A fitting gift, needing no explanation,_

_I give you my love and a paper carnation._

.

"What the hell is this supposed to mean?" I muttered to myself, examining the scrap of paper. To call it a scrap was an exaggeration though. It was beautifully cut and seemed almost polished to perfection. Too perfect. Only Edward would buy paper this perfect. It had surely cost a fortune; cost more than all the fancy wedding invitations Alice had ordered one year ago…

One year. One year ago I was still human. I was sitting in Alice's bedroom enduring her pampering of my face while Rosalie worked on my hair. I could still remember it – my human memories of Edward were fuzzy at best, but I had stored them away in the back of my mind and I knew now that I would never forget. There are some things – like true love –that can never be forgotten, no matter how much time has passed. I knew that I would remember my wedding day for the rest of my existence.

I just wished I could be so sure that I wouldn't forget all our other moments together.

I examined the flower. I had no idea what a carnation looked like – all flowers looked the same to me. The scents were what really stood out, especially now my senses were so much more defined. I would have to take his word for it that this origami flower was a carnation. It wasn't important anyway. Because apparently it was such a fitting gift, it should be obvious why he would give it to me…

Fitting.

_He grinned. "Very… fitting."_

_I wrinkled up my forehead, instantly confused. "In what way is it fitting?"_

_"You'll see," he replied cryptically._

Oh. Oh! That must be it! That was why he'd acted so mysteriously earlier; that was why he'd used the word 'fitting' so significantly. But wait… what did my gift and a paper carnation have in common? How were they both fitting for an anniversary?

"Arrgh! I _hate_ this!" I groaned in frustration. "Edward, why the hell do you have to be so damn cryptic? Why can't you just give me my damn present and then accept my fake gratitude like any decent husband would do for his poor, innocent wife?"

He didn't answer me. I hoped he was within hearing distance though, so he'd know how angry I was with him. Although I suspected he'd find it hilarious if he could see me now.

I decided the only way to find out what was going on would be to follow his scent and hope he hadn't gone too far.

The window was still open – Edward must have known that it would be pointless to pretend he had gone in a different direction, when his sweet scent still lingered around the frame. I sucked in a heady breath when I reached it, making me more desperate than ever to find him. But that wasn't good. I couldn't let his scent distract me – I swore to myself that when I found him I would _beat_ him senseless, not kiss him senseless, however appealing the second option sounded.

It took me one eighteenth of a second to jump from the window; giving me plenty of time to judge my landing and prepare for the impact the soft ground made on my stronger heels. What I wasn't prepared for, was what I found at my feet when I hit the floor.

Another origami flower lay on the ground, saturated with Edward's scent. Another note lay beside it. I picked up the note and read the rhyming couplet with renewed frustration.

.

_Your scent has never ceased to mystify me,_

_Mine with lead you to clue number three._

_ ._

"Edward?" I called. "If you can hear me, you should know that I'm very pissed off with you right now!"

There was no answer, but I wasn't expecting one. I'd given up hoping that he was still lingering around here and I'd catch his scent and find him before this stupid game of his could go anywhere. It looked like he'd already disappeared to the finish line and I'd have to play along to find him.

So I played along. It wasn't difficult to follow his scent; I'd had an ominous feeling that it might be heading towards our cottage and I was proved correct when I let his scent wash over me, let it direct me deeper into the woods and towards more familiar scents: honeysuckle, roses, sawdust and smoke coiled together with a metallic twang and what could only be described as _family_ (both Edward's and Renesmee's scents still lingered) to create the perfect scent. Home.

Pleased that I was actually getting somewhere in this stupid quest Edward had devised for me, I let myself in and scanned the front room for anything out of place. I saw it instantly, of course.

There, on the table top, next to a paper carnation and written on paper so luxurious and perfectly crafted it could only be described as_ parchment_, was a third note. I picked it up and examined Edward's fine calligraphy.

.

_It has held little meaning for me in the past,_

_But since meeting you, it has travelled far too fast._

.

Damn. Another cryptic message. I wondered what the hell was it supposed to mean. Obviously it was another clue towards finding Edward's first anniversary gift gag, like the paper carnations before it. But just how many of these stupid clues would I have to find before Edward got bored of sending me on a wild goose chase and just gave me my damn present?

I'd had enough. I didn't bother figuring out what the idiotic rhyme meant, I simply marched forward to the next place he had stopped at – his scent was especially strong outside our daughter's room. There, tacked to the door was another note. This one wasn't a rhyming couplet though, and I could imagine Edward saying the words with a smirk on his face.

.

_Nice try._

_Here's a tip: follow the clues._

.

Well that needed no explanation. Edward must have realised that I would follow his scent instead of playing along. The cheater was somehow getting around that though. He must have planted some of these notes at another time… notes that would be harder to spot; harder to sniff out. I would have to use my mind for this one, instead of just following my nose. I sighed and turned my attention back to the parchment in my hands.

_It has held little meaning for me in the past_… well that could be anything. Edward had a _lot_ of past. Sorting through all the things in his past would take a century. Literally.

The second line confused me even more. Edward would never blame me for anything negative in his life… so what was this thing that had travelled too fast since our meeting? What were we missing?

Not for the first time this morning, I sighed in frustration.

I had to hurry up with this game of his. It was taking forever and I knew he would keep running away until I figured out the meaning behind every last couplet. I looked at the clock, horrified to see that a whole hour had passed since I'd heard Jake and Nessie out in the forest. That was an hour of my eternity that I'd spent without Edward; an hour that I'd never get back. Time travelled so fast when I didn't notice it slipping away…

Time travelled so fast.

_Since meeting you it has travelled far too fast_.

In my mind, something clicked. I made the connection.

"_Time_," I whispered to myself. "Of course!"

I rushed over to the clock and examined it. Like everything else in the room, his scent brushed over it. But there was something different here. It was faint, but it seemed as if Edward had inspected the clock very carefully not too long ago. Maybe yesterday, while Alice took me shopping.

I gingerly unhooked it from the wall, trying my hardest not to simply crush it in my enthusiasm to find this latest clue and end Edward's game once and for all.

Another note was stuck to the back of the clock.

_A final note to my dearest wife:_

_Follow my scent to a familiar place._

_Not a gift in the world could possibly suffice,_

_Hurry, I yearn for your warm embrace,_

_My friend; my lover; my life._

_ x_

I smiled. I knew exactly where to go now.

* * *

Next Chapter: ?


	6. The Meadow

**Chapter Six: The Meadow**

It was surprisingly warm when I arrived; a gentle breeze was playing around the wildflowers and the cloud cover was not as dense as it usually was. It was wispy, thinning. The sun shone through it, creating the faintest of shimmers across my skin.

His skin was shimmering, too.

I smiled to myself. I could not be sure, because I was basing my theory around weak, human memories, but it looked as though he was lying in the exact spot I'd first seen him here. When he'd first revealed just how inhumanly beautiful he really was…

His mouth twitched into a smile when he sensed my entrance into the small meadow, but he did not open his eyes or stand. He let me make my way to him.

I walked slowly, at a human pace, almost scared that if I walked any faster the mirage would shatter; this incredible sight before me would be gone. Would I ever get used to this? Would there ever come a time when he was not the most stunning thing in my world?

He opened his eyes when I sat at his side and curled into a ball, wrapping my arms around my legs and hugging them to me. Did he remember the posture from that blissful day two years ago? I did.

"You found me," he whispered.

All thoughts of revenge for his silly game vanished from my head at the sound of his voice. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed it in such a short time. I hadn't realised that while following his scent, I'd been craving him, longing to wrap my arms around him. How silly that I'd actually considered using verbal or physical abuse against him. He was only having his fun. He liked to spoil me.

"I did," I replied. "And I missed you. Intensely. I'm seriously considering jumping you right now. Of course, I'm seriously considering beating the crap out of you, too."

He laughed. He knew I wasn't being serious. Not about that last part, anyway. As for the idea of just forgetting the present and jumping on him right here, in this meadow where we first confessed the depth of our feelings…

Well, I was sure he would see that I was being entirely truthful on that front.

"Would you like your present now?" he asked silkily.

_No. I'd like to ravish my husband now. Screw the present._

"Okay," I said timidly, suddenly shy, but also curious. I tore my gaze from him for the first time since I'd found him here. Where was the big, elaborately wrapped present? Horror struck me: maybe it was too big to be wrapped. Maybe it was something really awful – like a castle or an island or a star constellation… you could buy those, couldn't you? Holy crow, what if he did? How much would something like that cost him?

Edward was suddenly sitting up, cradling me in his arms. I relinquished my grip on my legs and wrapped myself around him instead. I nuzzled my face against his chest, inhaling. For a brief moment, I forgot about all my fears and simply held him.

Then his arms reached around and pulled something from behind him to place it on my lap. Odd, really that I hadn't noticed it before. But then, that was to be expected. The sweet scent of reunion still hung in the air – my senses were on an Edward-overload. I couldn't see or hear or smell anything but him.

Now though, as I looked at the rectangular package in my lap, my senses returned to me. I could smell leather and ink and glue and the same parchment Edward had used to write all those silly clues…

I could smell him too, though. The parcel on my lap was drenched in his scent, as if he'd spent hours poring over it, pouring his very soul into it.

"Edward?" I asked, nervously.

"Open it," he prodded gently.

Still unsure, I tore through the plain wrapping paper with trembling fingers.

"Oh."

"Oh?" he asked. Now it was his turn to sound nervous.

A dark-covered, beautifully bound book lay heavily on my lap. Or rather, I knew that if I had been human still it would have felt heavy. I stared at the cover. A single image stared back at me: a ruby red, rising sun.

"_Midnight Sun_," I read.

I sat very still for a moment, just staring at the sun embossed cover. I concentrated on the sensations I felt as his arms wrapped around me. I still wasn't sure I could bring myself to examine it further. If it was what I suspected it to be…

"It's me," Edward said, confirming my thoughts. "For you."

My mouth opened, but no words escaped.

"My thoughts," he clarified. "My… my feelings. I wanted…" He trailed off.

I closed my still-open mouth and waited patiently for him to start again.

"You were always the one person whose thoughts were kept hidden from me," he began, staring at my face all the while. I tore my gaze from my present to look him in the eyes, and saw to my surprise that he was not quite as calm and controlled as he usually was. He looked… scared? Nervous?

"But then, being the selfless, generous, _good_ person you are, you let the last boundary between us fall. You let me into your mind, and it was… exquisite. And I knew then that I wanted to return the favour. I wanted to let you into mine. You have given me the best present anyone anywhere could ever give me: you gave me yourself. Mind, body and soul. And I wanted to do the same for you. I've given you my soul, I've given you my body," – here he stopped and grinned slightly mischievously – "and now, I give you my mind."

I reluctantly tore my eyes away from his, to look back down at the tome in my hands. I opened it very cautiously to find a whole page of his neat, elegant script. I turned the pages quickly, taking in page after page of his handwriting.

"Do you… like it?" he asked anxiously.

I grinned up at him.

"I love it," I replied honestly. "I love you. And you've given me… _you_."

I imagined again, Edward poring over the pages, his soul, the very essence of him seeping though them with his words. How I wished I could cry. I needed an outlet for the rush of emotions welling inside me.

His arms gripped me tighter.

"I'm actually afraid you might read something that displeases you," he admitted. "I know you've never agreed with me on so many issues… the way I see you… the way I see myself…"

I frowned. "This had better not just be a load of self-hatred and bitterness," I declared.

He chuckled. "It's more about you than me."

My frown deepened. "Is that supposed to be a good thing?"

"Yes," he said firmly. "This is more than just letting you into my mind, Bella. It's about letting you relive your past. I know you're worried that you'll forget our time together, but I can remember the first time our eyes locked across that cafeteria as if it were only moments ago. You don't have to forget. You have me to remember it all for you."

My heart swelled. How would I ever deserve this man?

"It starts with that very day," he continued softly, "the first day I saw you; the first day I tried to resist your siren call. The first century of my life is unimportant – my life only truly began when you entered it. That was the first day of my life in so many ways." He smiled gently and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"But… when did you do this?" I asked blankly.

"Yesterday. I told Alice she was to keep you away from me for eight hours at least. Then I started writing immediately after you'd left. It wasn't hard – the words have been running around my head for a while now, I was just waiting for the right opportunity to put them to paper. And I had my perfect recollections to make it easier." He broke off suddenly, grinning. "It really didn't take too long. You may find that it isn't my best handwriting though – I was writing at my very fastest."

I snorted. I doubted there would be a single smudge or blemish in the whole book.

"Jasper helped me bind it," he divulged. "And the title and illustration were just something that came to mind while I was writing a particular paragraph. It's not quite finished – it doesn't encompass all the experiences we've shared. But I could continue it if you'd like that." He waved his hand as if to suggest that it was nothing.

"Singing, dancing, running, kissing, writing, composing, _book binding_," I listed. "Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

His face twisted. Not in pain, but in the memory of pain. Still, it was hard to watch.

"There is one thing," he began, his flawless voice trembling over the words. "One thing I've found impossible to succeed in. And I've _tried_. I tried so very hard, but I failed. So I tried again, even harder than the first time. And it was _agony_. It tore me apart, it ripped my insides to shreds and left my outsides so destroyed that even I didn't recognise the creature I'd become." His eyes were liquid gold, molten and burning with the memory of this ultimate failure. "I can't stay away from you, Bella."

Venom stung behind my eyes, though of course, I could not cry.

"I'm glad," I whispered, with an odd sense of déjà vu. His eyes burned brilliantly and my lips trembled.

He saw this and brushed a thumb across my bottom lip, musing. Of course, that did nothing to help. My lip trembled more than ever.

"So am I," he said softly. "More than you'll ever know. I used to believe that I was a monster for staying with you; that I was cursing you. That if I truly loved you, I would leave you. But seeing you now… no woman has ever looked more loved. It makes you glow. It makes me believe that maybe – just maybe – what you believe is true. Maybe I am worth your love."

"Of course you are."

"You believe that. I've seen it in your mind – you actually believe _you_ are unworthy of _me_!" He let out a laugh of disbelief. "If I'd known just how insecure you were, I would have done so much more. But that's what your present is for – to let you see yourself through my eyes. To let you see just how beautiful you are."

I touched his cheek gently, then concentrated hard. Once I felt the barrier protecting my thoughts lift, I thought of the word he'd just used: beautiful. It brought to mind only one image. Him.

He kissed me gently and, weak as always, I let my shield snap back into place.

He grinned and kissed me even more sensually.

"Edward," I breathed. "I- I…"

He pulled away, letting my thought processes reassemble themselves.

"What is it, love?" he asked me, brushing his hands through my hair.

It seemed very stupid of me to have interrupted him: after all, this could wait. But it seemed like explanation time. And there were still a few things that needed explaining.

"Why carnations?" I asked. "Why paper carnations? Why was my gift fitting and why were the flowers fitting? I want answers, Edward. It's the least I deserve."

He smiled shrewdly before answering me.

"You're right," he spoke seductively, his amber eyes burning into mine. "That really is the least you deserve. You deserve far, far more and I have every intention of making it up to you, using whatever means you wish."

I gulped unnecessarily.

"But," he continued, "if it's answers you want, it's answers you will get.

"I took a lot of time to prepare for this – our very first anniversary. I wanted it to be special. I looked into the occasion, asked my brothers, asked Carlisle. After all, they've all had anniversary upon anniversary. They gave me a few suggestions, but nothing stood out."

I thought about this. "So… what does this have to do with my questions?"

He chuckled slightly.

"Patience, love. I'm getting to that part. So, I made some enquiries. Carlisle suggested something big, extravagant." He paused and his smile turned teasing. "But somehow, I knew you wouldn't appreciate the idea of 'Isle Isabella' when you found out just how expensive it would be."

"You were correct," I muttered, even as my breathing quickened at the thought of us having an island all to ourselves… maybe I could suggest the idea to him another time… as long as _he_ didn't pay for it. I was sure I had plenty of money myself, what with my flashy Cullen credit card and Alice's insistence that I should invest some money, for the sake of Renesmee's future.

"It was Esme who brought to my attention the traditions of anniversary presents: the Golden Anniversary, the Aluminium Anniversary, and of course, the first anniversary. The Paper Anniversary," he continued, dragging me out of my thoughts.

I groaned. Paper Anniversary. Of course.

"The traditional present for a first anniversary is… _paper_?" I asked blankly. It seemed a little bit boring. But then again, Edward had somehow managed to turn the boring idea of a paper present into the most beautiful, meaningful gift imaginable.

"And the traditional flowers for a first anniversary are _carnations_," he said happily.

I couldn't think of a decent reply to that, so I settled for roughly pulling his mouth back to mine. He responded enthusiastically and we collapsed together into the wildflowers again, his lips moving from mine to my jaw, my neck, my collarbone…

"I'll get you back for this next year, you know," I gasped, hardly aware of the words I was saying as his lips pressed still more urgently against my skin.

I both heard and felt his answering chuckle.

"I can hardly wait."

* * *

~FIN.

Many thanks to you for reading. Like all authors, I love reviews, so feel free to drop me a message if you enjoyed the story. x


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